Dean Smith is excited ahead of the new Championship season as the fixtures, once again, remind Brentford of how far they have come in the last few years.

Rather than regular meetings with Oldham, Port Vale and the like, the Bees get to look forward to games against sides who have been playing Premier League football on a regular basis until the last few years.

Former European champions Aston Villa drop into the second tier to join Nottingham Forest as teams to have won the continent's premier competition and play in the Championship.

Villa have Roberto Di Matteo in charge, who won the Champions League with Chelsea, while fellow newcomers Newcastle have 2005 winner Rafa Benitez in charge.

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Smith said: “It's something to look forward to. Villa was my team as a kid. We'll be playing two teams who have won the European Cup in Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.

“It shows how far Brentford has come as a football club to be realistically challenging them as well.

“You've got two managers and two clubs who have won the European Cup. It's going to be an exciting year. The fixtures coming out gives you more of a real feel to the season.”